One of the great island regions of North America is actually located hundreds of miles from the ocean. Here, private islands are a dime a dozen (just an expression - they actually go for a bit more than that!), and sailboats and motorboats take pride of place over cars as the preferred method of transportation. Million-dollar homes are located within site of humble cabins, and cruise ships ply the waters with nary a calypso band in sight. This is the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River, between Ontario, Canada and New York, U.S.A. Read more »

They entrust her to caretakers who give the isle their best / for this is their summer of a lifetime; they are blessed / to be her Friends…
—From the song “To the Friends of Seguin” by Lawrene

Caretaking is a lifestyle for some; for the Denkers family it was a chance for a unique extended family vacation. They responded to an ad in The Caretaker Gazette for summer caretakers on an island off the coast of Maine. They were interviewed by the non-profit organization, Friends of Seguin Island, were accepted, and soon after moved in.

The Denkers are a family of four. Although not every family can just up and slip off to an island for three months, they had a few advantages. They are self-employed. Harry is a carpenter with an established clientele who, for the most part, were willing to put off their summer jobs until the fall. Lawrene works with Harry, writes for the local paper, and does some secretarial work for a teacher’s union. Rachel and Anna had to arrange for missing a month of school, and they were given work by their accommodating Ontario teachers for island home-schooling. Read more »

If you’re thinking “a private island… sure, maybe when I win the lottery,” don’t despair - buying a private island is a much more attainable goal than you probably realize. There’s no denying it, a few million bucks in the bank will expand your options considerably, but the days when islands were the exclusive status symbols of the rich and famous are long gone. Today, if you can afford a reasonably priced cottage, you’ve got what it takes to afford an island.

With private islands, as with all things, price is a function of demand. That tropical, palm tree-laden island with the white sandy beaches we all dream of is going to appeal to a lot more people than a similarly-sized island in North Dakota - and you’ll pay accordingly. Location is the most important factor in determining an island’s price. While islands in the Caribbean or South Pacific typically cost US$ 1 million and up (exceptions exist, of course), islands in more northern climes can be had for a fraction of that price. Read more »

By Mark Lester

When I tell people that I sell private Islands for a living, many of them tell me that it has always been a dream of theirs to own one, or at least experience living on one. For many people, there is a special allure to a private island that even the most spectacular waterfront estate cannot begin to match. In British Columbia we are blessed with a protected and breathtakingly natural inland waterway that contains numerous private islands, deserted coves, marinas and exquisite waterfront properties. The Canadian Gulf Islands are part of the same archipelago as the San Juan Islands in Washington State and have many of the same characteristics. The bulk of Vancouver Island provides shelter from Pacific storms to the islands being in the lee along the island’s east coast. Generally the climate is sunnier and warmer the further one gets away from the mainland mountains which trap cloud and create precipitation. Read more »